New York Mets' Bartolo Colon delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday, May 28, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

From the way he battled early when the Diamondbacks had him on the ropes, to the strong innings he tossed in the middle of the game, Wheeler looked the part of a talented young pitcher that Collins had been hoping to see more of this campaign.

“I think it’s an enormous step. He was angry with the way it started and he [bore] down and pitched very well throughout the entire ballgame,” Collins said. “I was very pleased with the way he stopped the bleeding and gave us a chance to get back in the game.”

As he’s endured a rough start to the 2014 season, Wheeler showed signs of improvement in the Mets’ 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks at Citi Field. He tossed a season-high 6ª innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) and issuing just one walk over 118 pitches.

The Mets hitters failed in key spots late, halting potential rallies.

“I was a little bit better with my command [Saturday]. I wasn’t perfect but I was better,” Wheeler said. “It showed.”

Before Wheeler made his 10th start of the season, Collins called for him to take that next step in his development. After going 7-5 with a 3.42 ERA as a rookie, Wheeler, who is 1-5 with a 4.31 mark, has been inconsistent to open this year.

Collins pointed to Wheeler’s command as a reason for some of his problems, as he’s had a few games where he’s lost the strike zone. Wheeler entered the game issuing 4.7 walks per nine innings, up from the 4.1 he allowed last season.

“He’s an important piece of this ball club and we got to get him pitching like his ability states and that’s get us deep in games,” Collins said pregame. “He has the tools to be that guy you turn to, to be the ace here. We need him to start doing that.”

Leading into the game, Wheeler found that he liked a hitch in his delivery that allowed him to stay back. He used it in this outing, and it helped his strong showing.

Several balls found holes early and Arizona jumped on Wheeler for a 2-0 lead in the second inning, as he allowed three hits after a leadoff walk. In the third, an error by Wilmer Flores hurt Wheeler when he served up a two-out RBI single to Martin Prado.

Outside those two frames, Wheeler pitched quite well. He allowed just six hits and struck out seven. Wheeler said the hitch was not any significant change to his delivery.

“It was something we found that works,” Wheeler said.

As Wheeler kept the Mets (21-26) in the game, the hitters failed in big spots, continuing a troubling trend for the team. Lucas Duda particularly had a rough day, going 0-for-4 and leaving seven men on base. Three of his at-bats came with runners in scoring position.

In the first inning, with the game scoreless, Duda struck out with the bases loaded and two outs when he chased a high pitch. Two innings later, with the Mets down, 3-1, with runners on second and third with two outs, Duda hit a fly out to center.

In the seventh and eighth innings, with the Mets now trailing, 3-2, due to a David Wright solo homer, the Mets placed the tying run at second base, but failed to score in three at-bats.

“Zack pitched a heck of a game and I feel like I let him down,” Duda said. “I’ve got to drive those runs in no doubt. I’ll take the blame for this one.”